'Gravity' holds atop box office for 3rd week

FILE - This film image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Sandra Bullock in a scene from "Gravity." Topping the box office for the third straight week, the space adventure “Gravity” continues to be the box-office juggernaut of the fall. The film, starring Sandra Bullock, earned $31 million over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, File)

NEW YORK — Star power and Oscar aspirations are reigning at the box office, where the space adventure “Gravity” and the Somali pirate docudrama “Captain Phillips” are holding off all comers.
With $31 million over the weekend according to studio estimates Sunday, “Gravity” topped the box office for the third straight week, cementing its status as the juggernaut of the fall movie-going season. It also took in another $33.5 million overseas.
The 3-D Warner Bros. movie, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, has now made more than $170 million in three weeks. The film’s groundbreaking visuals have been particularly popular on IMAX screens, where it made an “Avatar”-like $7.4 million on the weekend.
“Captain Phillips,” starring Tom Hanks and directed by Paul Greengrass, also held in second place, taking in $17.3 million in its second week. The Sony film slid only 33 percent from its debut last weekend of $25.7 million.
The two movies and their veteran stars were able to keep three new wide releases at bay: the horror remake “Carrie” ($17 million for Sony and MGM), the Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger action flick “Escape Plan” ($9.8 million for Lionsgate), and the WikiLeaks drama “The Fifth Estate.”
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday also are included. Final domestic figures will be released Today.
1. “Gravity,” $30 million ($33.5 million international).
2. “Captain Phillips,” $17.3 million ($9.1 million international).
3. “Carrie,” $17 million.
4. “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” $10.1 million ($5.1 million international).
5. “Escape Plan,” $9.8 million ($9.4 million international).
6. “Prisoners,” $2.1 million ($7.3 million international).
7. “Enough Said,” $1.8 million.
8. “Fifth Estate,” $1.7 million.
9. “Runner Runner,” $1.6 million ($4.2 million international).
10. “Insidious Chapter 2,” $1.5 million ($6.4 million international).